What's the funniest thing "normies" ask or say to you?

FlyingSquirrel · Senior Member

What's the funniest thing "normies" ask or say to you?

StPeteDean · MIP Old Timer

Most ask if I had a problem with it, and I tell them that it was getting out of hand drinking after work every day. That usually satisfies their curriosity. Mostly they are taking your temperature and weighing against their own drinking habits to find normal and off of the charts. Some ask if I still drink beer lol. Most have a hard time imagining me being drunk. I have three brother-in-laws 2,4, and 6 older than me that love there beer and it's taken them a long time to warm up to me and the idea that I don't drink. I try not to bring it up generally to anyone that I'm going to be spending time with because I don't want them to feel self concious about their social drinking. The tendency is for them to think that because I don't drink, that I'm not in favor of anyone drinking, which is the opposite of how I feel. Then if I feel that I have to reassure them that I don't mind if they drink, they may feel that I'm patronizing them, when I'm not.

I've been sober for long enough that I can stand a few hours in certain situation of people having a few, but I highly recommend that AAs in there first year or two try and steer clear of drinking engagements where they may be tempted to drink to fit in or to not feel uncomfortable about not drinking.

toni baloney · Senior Member

Morning Glenn,

Dont know if I would call them exactly funny, but strange for sure. If I am somewhere where someone is INSISTING I have a drink, like a BBQ, or Public whatever, I will usually say, No thank you, or something along those lines when trying to protect my anonyity. Now what makes that one pretty easy, bring my own Diet 7 up or something. Avoids all those questions.

But I have had situations where I felt I had gone to a point of being friends with someone, where I would take a chance, mention I was in AA, ( I was curious too, as to their reaction), after being pushed on the issue of Why wont you have a drink with me. The expressions at those moments are pretty strange, and the last time I said that to someone I liked, it ended the friendship in a New York Minute. Thought that over and said to myself......"Oh Well.......

Once someone said to me "You NEVER Drink" my response was, "Of course I drink, I love water, coffee and some teas and sodas" Then I smiled with a "Gotcha" moment.

This issue seems to get a lot easier with time. No one asks me any more really, it is just understood, that for whatever reason, I just dont drink Alcohol.

Toodles,
Toni

-- Edited by toni baloney on Monday 29th of June 2009 12:41:03 PM

Dave Harm · Senior Member

I always find it comical that when someone knows I no longer drink, that they know someone who has a problem. It could be an in-law, brother, sister, whoever, but it's never them...

jonijoni1 · MIP Old Timer

When I quit, most of my family/loved ones would ask, over and over, "are you SURE you quit?" LOL

learning · MIP Old Timer

The best I overheard....."Are you sick?"......need anymore be said.

Jerry F · MIP Old Timer

"Gosh you've changed!!" or funnier still "When did you get saved?" (as in found
religion) LOL. I used to ask some of them "What was I like to you back then?"
Good inventory question. One of the funniests came from a bar tended who had
just served and watched me slam 7 scotch neats as I got up to go home to dinner.
"You're gonna drive yourself home?" What a silly question?

Humor then and humor now...(((((hugs)))))

MDC · Senior Member

I haven't had anyone question me yet.. I know it's coming.I'm going to Ohio to visit with my wife's family. We ususlly drink constant, instead, I'm looking for meetings to go to. I'm taking my kids and cousins to the movies, water park ect... I don't really know how to answer that I have no control over alcohol/my own behavior.

I just plan to stay so busy that I don't have time for drinking. My "down time" is when I would drink. No down time = no drinking for me, now. We'll see how it works out!

BTW, nobody is normal. Everyone has their own issues. Half of who you will ever meet is BELOW average, not normal, the other half ABOVE, still not normal.

-- Edited by MDC on Monday 29th of June 2009 08:28:11 PM

Ebbie · Newbie

why do you go to AA i never see you drink

bikerbill · MIP Old Timer

Best ever was early sobriety, in a hotel. I check in the room and find a very well stocked mini bar, so I put it all in a carrier bag and take it down to reception. I handed it over to the receptionist and explained that I don't like to have alcohol in my room. The receptionist called the manager who was really concerned - 'but the bar shuts in half an hour, you'll have nothing to drink'. then it was 'is this a religious thing?' - 'no.' 'Are you a secret shopper?' - 'No.'
'I don't understand, what's the problem?' - I took him to one side and explained that I was a recovering alcoholic and just wanted to make it easy for myself, when he said 'Oh. how long does this take before you can have a drink again?'

Then there was the fellow on holiday this year - 'you can't be an alkie - you don't drink!'

Anyway, there's a good tip in there - if you are staying in a hotel with a minibar and can't get a room change, take all the alcohol in a carier bag down to reception and hand it in. Make sure they make a note on your room number that you emptied the minibar and returned it all to reception.

I forgot to have them make a note one time ( a different hotel to the one reffered to above) and at checkout, the receptionist was insisting on adding all the alcohol onto the bill. I explained that i had handed it all in the night before. We had a long conversation until the day manager arrived, who took one look at me, turned his suit lapel over to reveal a small circle and triangle pin, nodded and told the receptionist it was OK.

-- Edited by bikerbill on Tuesday 30th of June 2009 03:58:32 AM

Jason J · Veteran Member

Good story Bill. Earlier this year my wife and I did our first big vacation in 10 years to Playa Del Carmen Mexico. I told the travel agent when we booked it months before that I didn't want alcohol in the room. It was an all inclusive and included a stocked bar with 1/5 bottles in dispensers, beer and wine. The agent assured me it would be removed. We arrived and found the nicest room I've ever stayed in with a fully stocked bar and fridge. I went back to the lobby and told them I didn't want it in the room and was told "it's O.K. you can just leave the doors shut on the bar. I emptied the fridge and put all the beer and wine outside the door only to have it restocked the next morning even though I left a note that said "no alcohol, diet soda only'. One more phone call did the trick but it was a lot of work. If I was drinking I never would have made it past the swim up bar but we did all kinds of stuff that we never would have and had a great time.

Jason

lani · MIP Old Timer

"Oh, did you go to AA?"-Yea like its a one time deal and your cured!!!!!! lol

Dodsworth · Senior Member

"Why don't you just set a date and don't drink until then?" ROFL (It's like-"Are you alcoholism incarnate?")

toni baloney · Senior Member

OK, thought of a good one, priceless to me.

AA!, your not an Alcoholic!
To this day, I wished I had said, well no, just a Black out Drunk, there is a difference!
hahaha

There's one for denial...............

Chewie · Member

I like a social situation when a normie I haven't seen in awhile has a drink, like a glass of wine with a meal, and just before they sip they look at me and say, "Is it okay if I have this?"

I also like the way they try to police me. I once bought some specialty root beer in these fancy bottles that look like beer bottles--good stuff. My wife had a friend over, and I was having a root beer, and the friend looked at the bottle and shouted: "What IS that? Should you be HAVING that?"

Goofy.

FlyingSquirrel · Senior Member

My brother has some bottles of ginger ale he's trying to dump on me. I like the stuff, and it tastes better from the bottle than poured into a glass, but I feel very weird drinking it out of the bottle. It's definitely not something I'd buy myself because I feel a bit triggered when drinking out of a bottle.